


Earthbound

by Random_Owl_House_Fan



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Christmas, Emotional Roller Coaster, F/F, Kissing, Lumity, Mild Language, Mutual Pining, Near Future, Pining, Returning Home, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25579447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random_Owl_House_Fan/pseuds/Random_Owl_House_Fan
Summary: After spending 6 months on the Boiling Isles, Luz begins to feel homesick. Even though Luz has surrounded herself with new friends and family, the absence of her original family becomes more and more painful by the day. When she notices that Christmas is coming up, she uses it as an opportunity to plan her departure. On the day of her return to earth, Luz uses the time she has left to notify her friends and family of her desire to go back home. While some take the news relatively well, others take the news especially rough. In a story where Luz experiences a wide range of emotions, find out how she comes to grips with not only who she's leaving behind on the Boiling Isles, but how she lives with the consequences of her actions once she returns to earth.
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 13
Kudos: 244





	1. The Art of Goodbyes

It had been 6 months, 12 days, and 8 hours since Luz stumbled into the Boiling Isles. At least that's what her phone told her. The conditions on the Boiling Isles were drastically different than what she assumed it was like on earth right now. Regardless, Luz had increasingly began to feel homesick. She missed her family, her friends, the food, and even school. 

While Luz grew attached to her new family and friends, she longed to return to a semi-normal life. The thought always remained that the Owl House would never be her permanent home. She knew she would have to return to earth some day. However, as each passing day went by, the harder and harder the thought of returning home seemed to be. "What do I tell my parents where I've been?" She thought. "Have they been looking for me?" "Do they think I'm dead?" 

All of these questions and more have been rolling around in her head for months. While the questions still remained, the day had come for those questions to be answered. Her phone read December 13th, 2020, two weeks before Christmas. While the idea of returning home still scared Luz to death, she hadn't missed a Christmas with her family before. And she wasn't going to allow this year to be the first.

\------------------

8:31 AM

Luz had been awoken by the sound of two messages from Willow that read:

Where are you?  
Class is about to start

Luz responded by saying:

Overslept again 😔  
On my way...

It would now be the third time in the last week that Luz would be late for school. However, she did have a good reason for doing so. She was spending almost all of her free time with Amity, and last night was another late night out. It was last night that Luz prompted the idea of returning home to Amity, who was taken by surprise regarding her suggestion. However, she didn't try and convince her to stay. She knew Luz had family and friends to go back home to. Luz had only told Amity of her desire to go back home. Her hope was to use today as a way to say goodbye to Willow, Gus, King, Eda, and anyone else who she might miss.

\------------------

8:32 AM

In a dazed panic, Luz got around as quickly as she could. But then it hit her, "Wait, I'm not going back to school tomorrow. What's the rush?!" With that in mind, Luz calmly made herself breakfast, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and got her things together. When it came time to leave, she thought about saying goodbye to King and Eda. However, they were both still soundly asleep.

\------------------

9:22 AM

Luz arrived at school 17 minutes late. When she opened the door to her classroom, she could see the eyes of the other classmates peering at her in disappointment, even if it was only for a second. As Luz sulked to her seat next to Willow, the teacher handed her a large study guide in preparation for the final exam. "I'm not gonna be here to take this." She thought. But she obviously couldn't tell Willow that. So, she decided to work together with Willow and help her out in any way she could since she would still be there to take the exam next week. However, her help was minimal at best.

Mid-way through class, Willow noticed Luz seem to dose off. 

"Is everything okay Luz?" Willow asked. 

"Of course." Luz replied nervously. "Why wouldn't it be?" 

"Because, you look like you haven't had sleep in days and your study guide only has a page filled in. Need I remind you your grade in this class? This final might determine whether you pass or fail Luz. I'd take this a bit more seriously if I were you." 

"I just have a lot going on right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now. I'll bring it up at lunch okay."

"Okay."

\------------------

11:15 AM

As Luz pondered in her head about how exactly she wanted to tell Willow and Gus she was leaving, lunch had rolled around before she even knew it. There was nothing she could do to calm the nerves that had built up throughout the day. She felt as if there was a pit in her stomach when she sat down next to Gus. 

"You don't look so good Luz." Gus noticed. "You look like you just saw a ghost." 

"Is it that obvious?" Luz replied sarcastically.

"Yeah it kinda is." Willow pointed out. 

"I've been meaning to tell you guys something." Luz announced. 

"You can tell us anything Luz, whatever it is I'm sure we'll understand." Willow pleaded.

"Just don't get too mad at me okay?" Luz asked. 

"We won't." Gus added. "Promise." 

"Okay..." Luz sighed. "I'm leaving the Boiling Isles tonight. It won't be for forever, but I'm not sure how long it will be until I come back."

"You WHAT!" Gus shouted, loud enough for the whole cafeteria to hear. 

"I said don't get too mad!" Luz said annoyingly. 

"Sorry." Gus replied. "I just don't know why you waited to tell us something like this until the very last minute." 

"I understand." Luz explained. "I'm just not great with goodbyes. I waited until now because I felt that if I told you sooner, you'd only try and convince me to stay." 

"You're right. We probably would have." Willow said fighting back tears. 

"Is there any explanation as to why you chose today to be the right time to leave?" Gus asked. 

"Yes, there is." Luz answered. "Back on earth, we celebrate this holiday called Christmas. It was initially created to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, a religious figure centered around the religion of Christianity. However, as time passed, non-Christian believers saw the holiday as an opportunity for families to get together and share gifts. Soon after, Christians adopted the idea of gift giving, which leads us to where we are today."

"What's a religion?" Gus asked after a long pause. 

"You guys don't have those here?" Luz replied. "Nevermind. It's a very long-winded answer that isn't important right now. The point is, it's not the gifts that I care about, it's being with my family again that I miss so much." 

"You miss your family quite a lot, don't you?" Gus asked quietly. 

"More than I've let on." Luz replied. "I know I haven't exactly said much about my family during my time here, but they mean the world to me. And I want them to know I'm safe and sound. After all, I don't want them worried sick about me any longer. So... I figured the best time to do that would be when the whole family is around for Christmas in two weeks."

"Now it all makes sense." Willow said. "It doesn't take away the pain I'll feel when you leave, but if this is truly what you want Luz, we won't be here to stop you." 

"Thank you for understanding Willow." Luz said happily. 

"So Luz, since this is our final day together for the foreseeable future, if there's anything you've ever wanted to do, now would be a good time to do it." Gus mentioned. "Got anything in mind?" 

"Yes, I do." Luz answered.

\------------------

12:10 PM

Luz, Willow, and Gus made a plan directly after lunch to ditch school for the rest of the day. Luz had badly wanted to ask Amity to tag along. However, a problem arose when she couldn't find her. Luz had tried messaging her, but her attempts were to no avail, which was uncharacteristic of her. When Luz asked around, Boscha told her that she hadn't even shown up for school. While Luz found the news a bit odd, she knew she had to move along.

The three planned on using the time between lunch and the end of the school day to go to the Boiling Isles amusement park. Luz hadn't been to an amusement park since May. She used to love going to them back on earth. However, the one on the Boiling Isles had scared her away. That was until today. The park had notices everywhere stating that there was a chance you could die on every ride. Gus told Luz that it was only for advertising purposes only, but Luz didn't believe him. With it being a school day, the park was virtually empty. Luz noticed that a lot of the workers gave the three of them wide eyes and odd looks, but as long as they were paying customers, she assumed they didn't really care that they were skipping school. 

The park surprisingly consisted of attractions one might find on earth. Roller coasters, drop towers, scramblers; you name it, they probably had it. There were also rides exclusive to the Boiling Isles. The best one included a water ride that consisted of "acid rain" instead of water. Gus had to reassure Luz that it was actually green apple juice from the cafeteria that the school didn't manage to sell. After strong convincing from Gus, Luz agreed to go on the ride to find out for herself. Once she tasted the familiar green apple juice, it thus proved Gus' point. With the lines being abnormally short, the group got through all the rides they wanted with a little time to spare. With that, it left them plenty of time to say their final goodbyes.

\------------------

3:15 PM

After a long, awkward pause, Willow was the first to say something. 

"So... this is it huh?" 

"For now." Luz responded fighting back tears of her own. "Thank you both for helping me adapt to this strange, new world I found myself in and being the best friends anyone could ever ask for." 

"No, thank YOU Luz." Willow replied. "You're the one who brought me out of my shell, helped me and Amity become friends again, and believed in me when nobody else did. I wouldn't be who I am today without you." 

"And thank you Luz." Gus added. "You helped me better myself and become my own person, rather than continuing to follow the crowd. I needed that more than you'll ever know." 

The waterworks were beginning to fall now as everyone joined in for a group hug. After the embrace, it had dawned on Luz that she might be able to communicate with Willow and Gus over the phone once she returned to earth. Although it wasn't a 100% guarantee. 

"I know it wouldn't be the same, but have you ever considered that we might be able to communicate over the phone once I return to earth?" 

"Human technology is vastly different than Boiling Isles technology, so I doubt that would work." Gus said in disappointment. "However, if you can get Eda to give us two earth phones with chargers, there's a good chance we'll be able to reach you!" 

"Perfect!" Luz shouted. "Come on! Let's go!" 

Luz started racing back to the Owl House as Willow and Gus followed.

\------------------

3:30 PM

"EEEEEDAAA!!!" Luz yelled as she burst inside. "Eda! Eda! Eda!" 

"What is it kid?!" Eda yawned in a groggy tone. "You know not to wake me up from my afternoon nap." 

"I know, I know, I know. But right now I need a big favor from you. Do you have two human phones that I could have?" 

"Human phones huh? I find them all the time during my weekly pickup of human treasures. However, it's very rare to find one in working order. Let me see what I can find."

Luz's mood dramatically shifted after that statement. "What if she can't find any?" Luz thought. "What do I do now?" But just as she started to doubt Eda's attempts at finding anything, she heard Eda yelling from across the house. 

"You're in luck kid! These two were just thrown out a few days ago. The screens have small cracks but the batteries are in good condition and they each have a charger."

"This is perfect Eda!" Luz said, barely able to contain her excitement. "Thank you so much!" 

"No problem Luz. Glad to see some of that junk go to good use. Wait, why exactly do you need human phones when we both know you kids only use scrolls here?" 

Luz's face suddenly turned as pale as a ghost. "I'll explain it later... Give me about 5 minutes okay?" 

"I don't know what's gotten into you kid but alright." Eda replied in a puzzling tone. 

Luz then hurried back outside with the two phones in hand.

\------------------

3:40 PM

When Luz closed the door, Eda noticed King quickly walking downstairs. 

"What's going on?" King asked as he approached Eda. 

"It's happening, isn't it?" Eda answered in disbelief. "I knew this day would come at some point." 

"Eda you're kinda freaking me out right now."

"LUZ IS LEAVING KING!" Eda said in a mix of anger and frustration. "In what other scenario would she ask for human phones!?"

"You bring up a good point. But how do we know you're not jumping to conclusions?"

"Because she's out there right now giving them do her friends so they can stay in contact with her! I wasn't born yesterday King." 

"Okay so you might be right. But why are you getting mad over this? I thought you would be happy to see her go." 

"I thought so too. That was until about 5 minutes ago. Now that it's actually happening, I realize how much I'll miss her."

"When you put it that way, I guess it makes sense."

"I know I never had any kids, but Luz is probably the closest I'll ever get to that." Eda pondered. "She gave my life a purpose. I felt as if I could pass my talents onto someone else when I'm gone. I was proud of her when she joined Hexside, when she convinced Principal Bump she should study every track just like I did, and when she finally built up the guts to ask that girl out. Those moments are one's I'll never forget King. I just didn't expect it to end so suddenly." 

It was then that Luz opened the door to walk back inside.

\------------------

3:45 PM

"You really mean that...?" Luz asked whilst tears rolled down her face. 

"How much of that did you hear?" Eda asked surprisingly. 

"All of it. I told you the walls were thin around here." 

"So what time will you be leaving?"

"Tonight. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"That's okay kid. If I were in your shoes, I probably would've left without a trace. At least you gave us the heads-up." 

"Classic Eda... As long as it's not too much to ask, would you mind if you helped me pack my things?" 

"Of course not."

\------------------

5:00 PM

After contemplating what to take and what not to take with her, Luz had finally filled her bag with everything she could carry. During the packing process, Luz had let Eda and King know why she decided to leave when she was. While it caught King a bit off guard, Eda wasn't the least bit surprised. Apparently she knew about the importance of Christmas and the human tradition behind it. I guess that's what happens when you live with a witch who's interests are human items and human behaviors. Nevertheless, it was finally time for Luz to say goodbye. 

"I think that's everything." Eda said while looking around. 

"Yeah, I think so too." Luz added. Luz, who was now walking towards the front door, motioned for Eda and King to join in a group hug. 

"You know I haven't been too keen on the whole affection business." Eda uttered. "But for you kid, bring it in." 

"Awwww you guys..." Luz said happily. "I'm gonna miss you Eda. And I'm especially gonna miss you cutie pie." 

"I. AM. NOT... okay maybe I am cute." King said begrudgingly. 

"About time he admitted it." Luz said sarcastically. 

"Wait!" King yelled as he was looking for something. He pulled out his stuffed bunny that he'd been carrying around for as long as Luz could remember. "A little something to remember me bye." 

"King... I don't know what to say." Luz responded. "Are you sure you want me to have this?" 

"Keep it." King replied. "He's ready for a new owner." 

"Thank you. I'll find a good place for this." Luz assured. 

"Alright kid, it's time for you to go." Eda said. "Let's not make this any harder than it has to be." 

"You're right." Luz responded. "Thank you for everything guys. I'll be back soon." 

"I know you will." Eda stated. 

"...I love you guys." Luz declared. 

"We love you too Luz." Eda responded. 

With that, Luz turned around and walked out of the Owl House for the final time.

\------------------

5:30 PM

Luz knew she couldn't leave the Boiling Isles without at least attempting to say goodbye to Amity. Even after all the unanswered texts and not bothering to show up to school, she hoped a visit to the Blight manor would prove to be successful. Maybe Edric or Emira would know what's going on. Upon walking up the marble steps, Luz noticed a figure peaking out of a window, then vanishing away quickly. Her assumption was that it was Amity, although it was too far away to pinpoint which of the Blight siblings it was. Once Luz rang the doorbell, it was Edric who was the one to answer. 

"Oh, hey Luz." Edric greeted. 

"Hey Edric." Luz replied. "Is Amity home?" 

Edric, who sensed a worried tone in her voice, responded, "She's been in her room all day. She complained about being sick this morning. She seemed alright last night, albeit a bit upset. Would you have any indication as to why?" 

"Don't take this the wrong way... but I might be the reason why." Luz explained. "She's not sick, just lovesick. See... last night I presented the idea of me returning home to Amity. It seemed to me like she handled the news well all things considered. But it's clear to me now that she hasn't..." 

"I need to see her." Luz emphasized.

Without hesitation, she hustled upstairs and quietly opened the door to Amity's room.

"Amity..." Luz whispered. She noticed a box of tissues, an empty ice cream bowl, and a framed photo of her and Amity together on her nightstand. As Luz walked in, she now noticed Amity was asleep. 

"Amity." Luz now said in a louder tone. 

"Luz?!" Amity reacted in a startling panic. 

"Easy, easy... it's me." Luz said as she outstretched her hand towards Amity. 

Amity, who had now comprehended what was going on, hopped out of bed as fast as she could and gave Luz the biggest hug imaginable. The reality of the situation had set in for Amity as she broke down and sobbed onto Luz's shoulder. It broke Luz's heart to see her like this. The worst part was that she couldn't do anything to help her. Luz made her choice to leave and now she had to live with it. 

As Amity continued to sob into Luz's shoulder, Luz could make out the phrase, "Please stay..." over and over again. 

"I... I can't Amity... you know that..." The answer only allowed Amity's cries to grow louder. 

Luz, who was now starting to feel helpless, came up with a suggestion that she hoped would cheer Amity up. "Amity... please listen to me okay. How does the idea of you accompanying me to the portal sound?" 

Amity, who had now broken away from Luz, answered in a nodding yes. 

"Alrighty then. I'll give you 30 minutes to compose yourself and get ready. But after that, we make our way to the portal. Got it?" 

"Got it..." 

After what seemed like an eternity to Luz, 30 minutes had passed and Amity was ready to go right on time. 

"Wait outside Luz, I'll join you in a minute." Amity instructed. 

"Okay." 

After about 5 minutes, Amity joined Luz outside and set off hand-in-hand for the portal. On their way out, Luz had noticed that Amity's book bag was larger than she remembered. However, she paid it little attention. "She probably just forgot to empty it from school yesterday." Luz thought.

\------------------

7:00 PM

Luz and Amity arrived at the portal. The moment Luz had been waiting for had finally arrived. Saying goodbye to Willow, Gus, King, and Eda were all difficult for Luz. In retrospect however, they were nothing compared to the agonizing heartache Luz felt during the hour and a half long journey to the portal. Luz did a good job of hiding it, but the truth was she could no longer convince herself that everything was alright. 

During the walk, Luz and Amity reflected on their time in the almost 4 months that they were together. Upon recalling the memories they shared along the way, Luz could tell by the look on Amity's face that she was genuinely happy for the first time since the night before. It seemed that she had made peace with Luz's decision. It was now however where Luz felt Amity's pain. She had only then come to the realization with not only what she was going back home to, but who she was leaving behind. Leaving behind the other 4 were tough, but not impossible. Leaving behind Amity however, proved to be. She would be leaving behind her soul mate, her rock, her one in a million, the love of her life. Luz knew she couldn't let that happen.

"So... this is where we go our separate ways..." Amity indicated. 

"Actually Amity... it isn't..." Luz declared. "I want you to join me on earth." 

"Wait WHAT!?" Amity flustered. "Are you out of your mind??? No witch has even dared tried living on earth. Not even Eda would go that far!" 

Luz, now with a desperate tone in her voice, pleaded, "Please! I need you! This whole time I've been trying to convince myself that everything is okay... but it isn't! The truth is... I'm scared of going back to earth alone! I'm scared of how overprotective my parents will be of me when I return! I'm scared I... I - I'm scared I'll never see you again..." 

"You know... it's funny." 

"What...?" 

"It's funny... because I had a feeling this might happen." Amity's eyes then shifted towards her bag. 

"The book bag..." Luz whispered. "You planned this all along, didn't you?!" 

"In a way. See, if we had said our normal goodbyes, I would have respected your decision and went back home. However, Emira helped me pack my things as if I might go with you. In fact, she even suggested it after seeing how bent out of shape I was earlier. So, I filled my bag, said goodbye to Edric and Emira, and told them that if I wasn't back by ten o'clock, it was because you convinced me to go with you." 

"So that's why it took 5 minutes... One thing still doesn't make sense here. If you predicted that I'd convince you to go with me, why did you give me such a hard time when I asked you to join me?" 

"Because what I said was true. No witch has lived on earth before. But for you Luz, I don't mind being the first. After all, you adapted to living on the Boiling Isles really well. With your help, why couldn't I do the same on earth?" 

Luz, who was now crying tears of joy this time, walked up to Amity and gave her the biggest hug she could. 

"I love you Amity!" Luz gushed. 

"I love you too Luz... although you're kinda crushing me right now." Amity groaned. 

"Oh!" Luz snapped as she quickly broke off of Amity. "Sorry. Kinda got carried away there..." 

"It's okay. How about this instead?" Amity then stepped towards Luz again, dried off the remainder of her tears, gently rubbed Luz's cheek, and kissed her passionately. Luz, albeit taken by surprise, reciprocated her feelings.

"So, what do we do now Luz?" Amity smirked as they paused. 

"Well it's not like we're gonna get this opportunity on earth any time soon. My parents are gonna be watching me like a hawk. I suggest we take advantage of this moment while we have it." 

"I agree."

\------------------

7:20 PM

"Since you're going with me, I think it's time we come up with a game plan." Luz announced. "When we arrive at my parent's house, I'll open the door and greet my parents. Alone. After a few minutes, I'll introduce you. You'll say who you are and your relation to me. After that, we'll tell them where I've been and what I've learned. With you alongside me, we'll have no choice but to tell them the truth." 

"Do you think they'll believe us?" Amity asked. 

"We'll make them believe us. They'll have no choice. If everything goes well, my parents should have a guest room you could stay in. Hopefully it hasn't been turned into a storage room while I've been gone." 

"I have one question. What about my magic?" 

"You can do as much magic as you want under my parents' roof. So long as it doesn't destroy the house. But you CAN NOT let anyone else besides me and my parents see you doing magic. I cannot stress that enough. If you get caught, who knows what could happen to you."

"That sounds reasonable." Amity acknowledged. "Sounds like a plan." 

"Good. Are you ready Amity?"

"Are YOU ready?" Amity countered. 

"As ready as I'll ever be." 

With that answer, Luz and Amity stared down the portal and walked hand-in-hand into the unknown.


	2. The Journey Home

8:33 AM

"Hey Mrs. Harrison. Sorry I'm late again." 

"Miss Noceda, this is the fourth time in the last 2 weeks you've been late to my class."

"I know, I know. It's just that anime club went late last night and then I had homework and then-"

"I don't need your excuses again Luz. I understand where you're coming from, but we all have commitments. I expect everyone to show up by 8:30 ready to start class. I can't start making exceptions. Failure to show up on time again and there will BE no anime club after school for you. You'll instead have to spend that time in detention; And I know you wouldn't want that. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Mrs. Harrison..."

"Good. Now where were we?"

"Dumb school and their dumb rules and their dumb teachers..." Luz thought. "What does she know about commitment? All she's ever done is study math her whole life. If she did even half the things I do, she'd be late for everything too."

Rather than doing her work, Luz spent the majority of class daydreaming out of the classroom window, thinking of a creative title for her next Azura fan fiction novel. While Luz was one of the most popular authors among the Azura community, as her mom always needed to remind her, "Writing fictional stories over the internet won't exactly pay the bills mija." Of course, Luz knew that. She just didn't care.

\------------------

10:30 AM

After class, Luz joined her friend Emily for lunch.

"Hey Luz. How's it going?"

"Could be worse. What about you?"

"Not too bad. Got a band concert coming up next week. My teacher is still yelling at us saying we don't know what we're doing. On the plus side though, at least I know what I'm doing. Just tired of teachers getting on my case over nothing you know?"

"That makes two of us."

"Why, what happened this time?"

"I was late again. Only by 3 minutes but it was apparently enough to set Mrs. Harrison off."

"What did she say?"

"The usual. Except only this time she mentioned if I'm late again, I'll get a detention."

"She has a point you know."

"I know... I just have a hard time caring about math at 8:30 in the morning when I could be up all night writing another chapter of my latest Azura series."

"Look, I enjoy Azura as much as the next person, but we need to set your priorities straight."

"You're right..."

"I'm always right... Say have you seen that girl before."

"What girl?"

"The one over there." Emily points. "The one with the green hair. It kinda looks like a younger Azura."

Luz then spots the girl with the mint green hair standing across the cafeteria and starts hyperventilating.

"Woah, calm down Luz! Are you-"

"Amity... Amity!"

"Amity? Who on earth is-"

"Amity! Wait up!"

"Wait, Luz! Where are you going?"

Luz ignored Emily's question and chased after Amity. Amity, for whatever reason, was running away from Luz. Luz ran as fast as she could in pursuit of Amity, passing crowds of confused students and teachers as she sprinted by. 

As Amity reached the school exit, Luz followed. On the other side was a dark hallway next to a dimly lit gymnasium. At the end of the hallway stood Amity wearing a sparkling purple dress and heels. At that moment, Luz realized she was back at a night she remembered all too well; She was back at Grom.

\------------------

"Hey Luz. What brings you here?"

Luz, who was somewhat caught off guard, answered in the only way she remembered. "I came here with Willow and Gus but I left them to find you."

"Oh. Well I'm back here making sure the dance goes smoothly. Plus I have to stay after for cleanup since I was apart of the planning committee."

"You didn't feel like participating?"

"Formal dances aren't really my thing. Plus I don't have anybody to dance with."

"I could dance with you..."

"You would?"

"I'd love to."

"Fine. But don't tell anybody we did this." As Luz took Amity's hand to dance, Luz was the first to break the awkward silence.

"You're quite the dancer."

"Thanks. Glad to see the ballet lessons my parents put me through as a kid start to pay off."

"Listen Amity, I didn't come here just to dance with you. I've been meaning to tell you something..."

After a pause, Luz took a deep breath and spoke. 

"Ever since that day at the library, I've felt that there's been a growing connection between us. Something I've never felt before. Something I've never felt for anyone else. Something stronger than friendship... I like you Amity.... I "like" like you."

Everything was going just as Luz remembered. That was, until it didn't...

"HAHAHAHAHA! Are you serious? A witch and a human? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. Wait until Boscha hears about this."

"Wait, what... this isn't how it played out..." Luz thought.

"I can't believe you thought I had feelings for you!"

"No! You're lying! This isn't real!"

"This is as real as it gets Luz. Face it, I don't like you. I never have, I never will, and I'm insulted by the idea that you thought I did. How pathetic...

"No... please... stop..." Luz cried. It was then that Luz heard a faint voice call out her name.

"Huh!?"

"Luz..." The voice cried out again.

"Amity...?"

"Wake up Luz!" The voice echoed a third time. Only this time Luz knew for sure it was Amity.

"Amity! Amity!!!" Luz screamed, pounding on the gymnasium door, begging Amity to take her out of the nightmare she was trapped in.

\------------------

"God dammit Luz wake up!" Amity hollered as she tried to shake Luz awake. Her attempts were futile to that point, but she didn't care. She knew Luz was going to regain consciousness at some point. After multiple attempts, Luz finally woke up.

Luz startled awake in a cold sweat and noticed she was breathing rapidly. But once her eyes met the grass beneath her and then met Amity's, she breathed a massive sigh of relief.

"Hey Amity..." Luz muttered. 

"Luz!" Amity reacted as she noticed Luz gain consciousness again. She then quickly went in for a hug. "We made it Luz... We made it."

"Yeah... We did..." Luz whispered.

\------------------

2:00 AM  
December 14th, 2020

"What happened to you just now? You scared the shit outta me." Amity asked Luz. 

"I'll tell you in a minute." Luz replied. But first, I need to know two things. Where's our stuff and where the hell are we? 

"I set our stuff down on this bench. Where we are though I have no idea. Maybe your phone might be able to tell us."

"Grab it out of my bag. It's in the cup holder slot."

"Here." Amity said as she tossed Luz her phone. 

"Thanks." Luz replied. Luz noticed the time the second she unlocked her phone. "Wait it's two o'clock in the morning??? That means we've been out for six and a half hours!"

"At least it means we're well rested right?"

"It sure doesn't feel like it. The ground isn't exactly the most ideal place to fall unconscious."

"Good point. So... back to where we are?"

"Oh, right. Let's see... According to Google, it says we're in... a park in San Antonio. Which is about 20 minutes away from my parent's house..."

"Great!"

"By car..."

"Oh... So where does that leave us on foot?"

"It means we'd better start walking. If we're lucky, we'll make it to Selma by sunrise. Which is where my parents live."

"Lead the way Luz."

"Alright. Let's go." 

\------------------

2:10 AM  
18 miles from Selma

Luz and Amity began their journey by walking along the empty sidewalk. Not a car or person was in sight.

"Luz, it's time for you to tell me what happened back there. And stop stalling. You know I don't like that."

"I'm not stalling. I'm just trying to find the right words to tell you what happened. Okay... so the first thing I remember is that I was back at my high school going through a normal day. I jumped from math class to lunch with my friend Emily, who is my best friend here on earth. Everything changed when I saw you on the opposite side of the cafeteria. For whatever reason, when I got up to say hi, you ran from me. So I chased after you. You led me all the way through the school exit and all of a sudden, we found ourselves back at Grom. Only this time things didn't go so well. Mid-way through the dance when I admitted my feelings for you, instead of admitting those same feelings, you laughed in my face, told me you never liked me, and told me you were insulted by the thought that I liked you in the first place."

"Geez Luz... I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I'm okay. Albeit still a bit shaken. Unlike any other nightmare I've had though, that one felt like I was living it. I was living out my worst nightmare and I was trapped in there. That was, until you pulled me out of it."

"Think it had something to do with going through the portal?"

"Maybe. Perhaps some spirit wanted to play tricks with my mind before they lost their chance. Or maybe I was experiencing an alternative reality."

"Which would you rather have?" Amity joked.

"Definitely the alternative reality." Luz laughed. "But really, I think it was just a bad dream."

"Me too. Totally didn't think you died or anything..." 

"You thought I died?" Luz asked while laughing.

"Maybe... But only for like 15 seconds."

"That still counts."

"Whatever. We're both fine now and that's what matters." Amity then spots lights up the road coming towards the both of them.

"AAAAAHHH!!!" Amity screamed, using Luz for cover. The car then calmly drove past them.

"What was that all about?" Luz asked.

"What WAS that thing???" Amity countered.

"You mean the car? Those are everywhere. They're harmless so long as we're not in front of them when they pass."

"How do you know they won't hit us?"

"Relax, they won't. Just think of it as flying. You knew how to do that right? And were you ever hit?"

"No..."

"Exactly. So long as you follow the signs, I promise you won't get hit. See, look here." Luz then points at a crosswalk. "See the red sign with the open hand right there? That means you shouldn't cross. When the sign turns white with the little guy walking, it means it's safe to cross."

"Okay. That makes sense."

"Good. Now let's carry on."

\------------------

3:00 AM  
15 miles from Selma

"I need to text Willow and Gus back. I told them I'd message them as soon as I got the chance. Can't imagine they're still up to open it now though." Luz proclaimed.

"How did you manage to get them phones? I didn't know there were any on the Boiling Isles?" Amity asked.

"It pays to know a witch who collects human junk. I convinved Eda to give me two phones that worked and I gave them to Willow and Gus."

"You didn't get me one?"

"I knew I'd get you a better one on earth."

"Fair enough. I'll hold you to that."

"You can count on me girlfriend."

Luz then typed up a message for both Willow and Gus that read:

"Hey, it's Luz. I made it back on earth in one piece! I know you probably won't read this until you wake up but message me back when you get the chance."

After Luz sent the message, she put her phone away and continued on. While Luz's legs were growing tired, the last thing she wanted to do was stop. The only thing on Luz's mind was getting home and keeping Amity safe.

\------------------

4:10 AM  
11.75 miles from Selma

While Luz knew a more direct route, the last thing she wanted to do was take Amity along the highway. So, she continued to use the longer, yet safer route along the sidewalk. However, she knew they had to get on the highway at some point.

"How much longer do we have Luz? We can't keep walking forever." Amity asked, growing frustrated.

"I tell you what, when it reaches the top of the hour, we can take a break, okay?"

"I like that idea. My tiny legs can only handle so much walking at a time. Where do you think we should rest?"

"Well it's not like we're sleeping. So long as it's off the road, most anywhere should do. Although if my memory serves me right, there's an abandoned car lot about 2 miles up the road. We could hop into a car and rest our legs there for a little bit. What do you say?"

"I don't see any better options."

"Trust me, we could have worse options."

\------------------

5:05 AM  
9 miles from Selma

"Here we are." Luz claimed as they reached the car lot. It was about half a mile off the path they needed to take in order to get home, but Luz knew it would be out of the elements for a while. 56 degrees doesn't seem cold until you've walked in it for almost 3 hours. Only then did Luz start to feel its effects.

"All we have to do is find one that isn't crushed. There should be a group full of ones that they plan on crushing later today." Luz said.

"How hard should that be?" Amity asked. 

Luz then spotted a lot of SUV's waiting by the crusher.

"I think I see some over there." Luz pointed out by the crusher. "How convenient." 

They both then walked over to the group of cars and tried opening the door to a white SUV.

"It's locked." Amity discovered.

"Well that's no surprise. You have to pick the lock silly." Luz then pulled a bobby pin out of her hair, straightened it, and attempted to pick the lock.

"Ha! There's no way that's actually gonna - Oh wait you just did it... How on earth do you know how to pick a lock?"

"You underestimate my genius Amity Blight." Luz smirked. "Actually I was just very bored as a kid and taught myself how."

"I must say, I'm impressed."

"Why thank you."

Luz then hopped into the driver's side while Amity hopped into the passenger's side.

"So... how does feel to be in a car for the first time?" Luz asked. 

"I wish it was moving." Amity replied. "Other than that though, it feels nice."

"My parents are totally going to teach you how to drive one day. Maybe they'll even teach us together!"

"How long until that happens?"

"Well, you can get a learner's permit at 16. But that means my parents would have to be with you wherever you drive. You'll have to wait until you're 18 to get a license."

"I can wait. I still need to learn all kinds of earth stuff."

"Yeah... Hey would you be okay if I moved to the backseat?"

"Knock yourself out."

Luz then moved to the backseat, laid her head down, and scrolled through her phone for a good 20 minutes.

"There's so much even I needed to catch myself up on. We have a new president now, Azura book 6 came out, so many new movies and TV shows came out, and there's countless hours of YouTube videos I need to catch up on. The possibilities are endless!"

"Besides the Azura book, what do any of those things even mean?"

"I knew you'd ask that. Okay, so the country we live in is called America and the leader of America is known as the president. A movie is usually an hour and a half to three hour production of people being recorded and acting out scripted performances, sorta like a play. A TV show is basically the same thing but only 30 minutes to an hour long. And YouTube is an app where people film and edit their own videos that others can watch for free."

"Wow... That's a lot to take in there."

"Don't be afraid to ask me anything. No matter how dumb it may make you feel, I'll give you the best answer I can."

"Thank you Luz. At least I know you won't insult my lack of intelligence."

"Can't always say the same thing about other humans. They can sometimes be real jerks."

"More of a jerk than I was when I met you?"

"Sometimes. Especially if you don't fit into societal norms. Then they'll try and change you until you fit what they're looking for. In some cases, it's other kids telling us how we should live. But in others, it's the adult figures in our lives discouraging certain behaviors."

"What kinds of behaviors would be considered discouraged?"

"Our relationship for starters. For whatever reason, a lot of people in this country discourage any relationship that isn't between a man and a woman. Luckily over the past decade, that sentiment has began to change. Although it still has a long way to go."

"Do you know anyone who still thinks that way?"

"My dad. He's stuck in his old ways. At least my mom always keeps an open mind."

"Hopefully he's a bit more receptive when his own daughter returns home with a girlfriend."

"Me too..."

"Would you mind if I joined you back there?"

"I don't see why not."

Amity then hopped in the back, laid herself out across the seats, and sat her head on Luz's lap. Luz responded by stroking Amity's hair as she looked back down at her.

"Do you think you're gonna miss your family Amity?"

"Well you already know how I feel about my mom and dad... and Edric and Emira can take care of themselves. So to answer your question, I don't think so... because I know I'd leave them all over again if it meant being with you."

"Amity... that's so sweet..."

"Well it's true. You've given me an opportunity to start a new life. One free from the pressures of my parents, away from my asshole "friends" at school, and away from being a witch. For the first time in my life, I don't have to think about becoming the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles. Now, I can be a kid again."

"What is it you've always wanted to do besides be a witch?"

"I don't know. That's what I'm here to find out."

"Whatever it is you choose, I'm sure you'll be great at it. You're Amity Blight. Whatever you set your mind to, you go out and get it. That's just who you are. That's the girl I fell in love with..."

"Awww... you really mean that?"

"I do."

Amity then sat up again, wrapped one arm around Luz, kissed her on the cheek, and said, "Let's take you home."

"Wait." Luz said as Amity tried to exit the car. She then instead wrapped both of her arms around Amity and kissed her on the lips this time. "Alright. Now let's go home."

"When did you become so bold all the sudden?"

"Since back at the portal."

"Well I like it... Now come on. I want to see my new bedroom."

\------------------

8:00 AM  
Selma city limits

Luz and Amity walked the remaining 9 miles along the highway. Luckily for them, most of the trip was relatively quiet. Only for the last 3 miles did rush hour begin. By that point, the sun had started to peak out through the clouds. So the chances of being hit were relatively low. Not to mention Luz and Amity walked so far the right, they doubted anyone had noticed them in the first place.

"Well... we're here." Amity noted as she pointed out the sign.

"We're not there just yet. We still have another mile or so of side streets to go through in order to reach the house. Luz responded.

"Still... it feels nice knowing we're so close to our destination."

"Agreed." 

As Luz and Amity closed in on their destination, Amity noticed a flopping piece of paper nailed to a wooden light pole. 

"Hey Luz... I think you should take a look at this..."

Luz compiled. As Amity held down the piece of paper, they both realized what they were looking at at the same time.

"It's me..." Luz acknowledged. "It's a missing persons poster."

"Really puts it into perspective, doesn't it?"

"It does..." Luz said. She then took the worn piece of paper and ripped it from its post.  
"It's a good thing we won't need to see this anymore then." She then crinkled up the paper and threw it in the nearest garbage bin.

\------------------

8:30 AM  
1 block away from the Noceda residence

"So do your parents have a dog? I've read about them before, but I've never actually seen one."

"They were talking about getting one before I left. I'd like to imagine they followed through on that. The closest thing to a dog on the Boiling Isles was King. Think about him except less needy, more messy, and doesn't talk back."

"That sounds perfect!"

"Concentrate Amity. You remember the game plan right?"

"I know, I know. Stay to the right of the house when you knock on the door, I'll come out when you call for me."

"Good... Alright, the house is to the left." Luz points. "It's the one with the red truck. It's my dad's, you can't miss it."

Luz and Amity had now approached the front door.

"It's now or never Luz, I'll be over here."

As Amity went to go hide, Luz stood at the front door for what seemed like an eternity before she built up the nerve to finally ring the doorbell. Almost immediately, she heard a small dog's bark. A wave of varying kinds of emotions swept over Luz as she waited for a response. But as Luz heard footsteps reach the base of the door and the doorknob start to rattle, all but one of those emotions faded. The only one that remained was relief. She was relieved that her journey was finally over. Then, the door swung open. Luz was now standing face to face with her mom for the first time in 6 and a half months. Here's what she had to say.

"Hi mom... I'm home."


	3. The Calm After the Storm

Camilia was speechless.

One week after Luz was scheduled to show up for summer camp, the camp had notified her that Luz had never even shown up.

After multiple failed attempts to get a hold of Luz, she notified the local police that Luz was indeed missing and a missing persons report was issued.

The only clue the police had were the footsteps of Luz's size 8 shoes leading to an old shed in the nearby woods. However, that trail suddenly dark.

While the effort put into the search was noble, the lack of leads was getting to Camilia. She feared that the worst had happened.

That was, until she was standing face to face with her daughter for the first time in 6 months. Luz had no cuts, no bruises, no ripped clothes, no nothing... She was perfectly fine. But most importantly, she was home.

\------------------

Camilia knelt down to Luz's level, hugged her, and let out the happiest cry anyone could imagine. The helpless, agonizing pain throughout the last 6 months was finally over.

"It's okay mom, let it all out..."

After the embrace, Camilia asked the ultimate question.

"Where have you been mija? The whole city's been looking everywhere for you but we didn't have any luck."

"It's kinda a long story..."

"Whatever it is honey, come on inside. You can tell me all about it."

"Actually, before we go inside, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Um... Luz, nobody else is here."

"Actually, there is..." Luz hinted. "Amity! You can come out now!"

Amity, who had been waiting at the right of the house, nervously peaked out and walked up the steps towards the front door.

"Hi... I'm Amity." She said as she outstretched her hand for a handshake.

"Camilia. Camilia Noceda." She greeted as she obliged and shook her hand.

"Mom, this is Amity Blight. My girlfriend..."

"Oh... Um... Wow this is quite a lot to take in here."

"Can we talk more about this inside?" Luz asked.

"Of course. Right this way kids." Camilia responded as she led them inside.

\------------------

Luz and Amity each took seats while Camilia paced around thinking of where to begin to ask what was going on.

"Luz, I have a million questions right now. But instead of asking them all at once, why don't you go ahead and start from the beginning. Hopefully some of the questions I have will answer themselves." Camilia notioned.

"I was thinking the same thing. Listen... what I'm about to say might seem insane and downright unbelievable, but I promise you it will all make sense in the end okay?" Luz added.

"Okay." Camilia responded.

"Here it goes..." Luz sighed. "So... it all started after you left for work the day I left for camp. After I symbolically left my Azura book in the trash, I noticed not only the book was gone, but the trash itself was gone as I went to get it back. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a tiny owl carrying the trash towards a shack in the woods. So, I followed it. It turned out that the owl was sent by a creepy owl lady named Eda from a magical demon realm to collect human artifacts. When I finally caught up to the owl, I got my book back. But... it turned out that the portal I entered through had closed and I was essentially trapped there for the foreseeable future."

Camilia was completely bewildered. While she refused to believe any of what she just heard, she insisted that Luz continue her story. As Luz continued, she quickly Googled the phone number for the nearest mental health clinic.

"So... I figured if I was gonna be trapped in a magical demon world, I might as well make the most of it. For starters, Eda took me in as her magic apprentice. After a lot of convincing, Eda enrolled me into a magic school, which is where I met Amity. At first, she was very mean to me and my friends. But as time passed, she had a change of heart and asked me out to the school dance, where of course I said yes and have been together ever since. Finally, I defeated a tyrannical magical emperor, learned how to do all types of magic, and made a bunch of new friends and family along the way... which I had to leave behind yesterday..."

"So let me get this straight... assuming that any of this is real, when did you realize you had the opportunity to come back home?"

"Around August I asked whether or not it was possible to go back home. When Eda told me it was, I contemplated doing so, but I ended up deciding against it. I realized I didn't want to leave the new life I started for myself behind. At least, not yet. Not to mention, I hadn't realized my magical potential yet."

All Camilia could do was sigh in disbelief. "This is absolutely insane... first you make up a story about some fantasy demon world and then you tell me you could have been home in August and YOU CHOSE NOT TO! This isn't you Luz... This is the reason I sent you to a summer camp in the first place... You can't separate fantasy from reality! It's all become distorted in your head! Tell me Luz, what's the REAL reason you were gone for 6 months? No more stories this time..."

"This IS what happened mom! EVERYTHING I just told you is 100% true. And I can prove it..."

"Go ahead. I'm dying to see it..."

Luz then pulled out 8 different glyphs from her backpack and laid them out on the floor. 

"Still don't believe me? Then watch this."

Luz then tapped on all of the glyphs in succession.

A ball of light rose from the first page, an ice block arose from the second, a small plant arose from the third, a tiny abomination was created from the fourth, a light blue crystal ball was created from the fifth, a harp was created from the sixth, a small griffin was formed from the seventh, and 4 tiny Luz's were made from the eighth.

Camilia was mesmerized by what she was seeing. Of course, she allowed Luz to explain what was going on.

"Each of these spells hold a special meaning to me..."

"This first spell is a light spell. It was the first spell I ever learned. In fact, I taught myself this one."

"The second spell is an ice spell, this was the first spell Eda taught me. Her methods were unconventional to say the least. But hey, they worked."

"The third is a plant spell. This one was the first spell Willow taught me. She was the first friend I made on the Boiling Isles."

"The fourth is an abomination spell. This one was the first one Amity taught me. She taught it to me on our first date. Not only did she teach me one, I was also able to teach her one myself."

"The fifth one is an oracle spell. This one was the first spell I learned at Hexside."

"The sixth one is a harp spell. It was the bard track where I learned I have a passion for music. I chose the harp specifically because I thought it sounded pretty and I wanted to write a song for Amity. So, I did."

"The seventh is a beast keeping spell. This was the first spell Viney taught me." 

"The final one is an illusion spell. This was the first spell Gus taught me."

"Long story short, these last six months have been incredible to me. I got to live out my dream of being a witch and made many great friends and memories along the way. But now, I'm happy to be home, happy to be back with my family, and most importantly happy to have my normal life back."

"So what do you say mom, do you believe me now?"

"You made a believer out of me sweetie... I mean look at the floor." Camilia laughed. "But I hope you both know you can't do any of this outside my house."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Amity said. "Luz made that very apparent on the way here."

"Good." Camilia added. "So Amity, what kind of magic do you do?"

"Well, unlike Luz, I just specialized in one specific track. My parents chose the abomination track for me, which I became quite good at."

"Can you show us?"

"Yeah Amity..." Luz teased. "Show us."

"There will be plenty of time for magic later. Besides, I need you guys to show me around this place."

"Well it isn't much, but sure I'll show you around." Camilia responded. "Follow me."

\------------------

3:00 PM

"So when is dad gonna be home?" Luz asked. "I see he didn't take his work truck today."

"He'll be home later tonight. I'll have to give him a heads-up about your return though. Not only just to him, but the rest of the family as well." Camilia replied.

"Sounds like you have a lot of phone calls to make."

"I do, indeed. I'll get on that. Would you mind helping Amity clean out the guest room?"

"Sure. I'll be right there."

Luz made her way to Amity's room. As she opened the door, she couldn't help but notice the abomination in the middle of the room helping Amity lift a box.

"Amity! What did we say about abominations in the house?"

"I know what you said! But it's not like I can get those boxes on the top shelf myself."

"Look, if you need any help with anything, all you have to do is ask. You can't rely on magic to do everything. If you can't do it here, what makes you think you'll be able to do it out there?"

"I just thought... maybe I... Okay, you're right. Can you help me?"

"Of course."

"Abomination, rest."

Once Luz and Amity finished cleaning the room, they looked around at what they accomplished.

"So, how do you like it?" Luz asked.

"It's a bit empty at the moment. But other than that, I like it.

"We'll get some stuff to make it your own soon. But hey, at least you have a bed and a TV. What more could you ask for?"

"Quite a lot of things actually... but this will still do nicely."

"Well now that I'm finally done unpacking, do you wannna check out my room?" Luz asked.

"I'd love to."

As Amity opened the door to Luz's room, the first and most glaring thing she noticed were the purple walls.

"Wow, I always knew purple was your favorite, but I didn't think you liked it this much."

"My parents helped paint it when we moved in. Besides, white walls are boring."

"True. So what about all these posters?"

"Oh. Well the first one is of my favorite music group, Twenty One Pilots. I can play some right now if you want."

"Considering my parents surrounded me with classical music my whole life, I'll listen to just about anything you have to offer."

Luz went ahead and turned on her speaker. "It may not be your thing, but it's worth a try right?"

"Exactly. So what about the other posters?"

"The second poster is of my favorite anime, Little Witch Academia. And the last one is just a collectors edition Azura poster I bought when I got book 3. Let's just say I have an obsession with Azura collectibles."

Amity looked around at all the Azura figures, pins, and other assorted items in amazement.

"And here I thought I was an Azura super fan..."

"Did I also tell you that I write Azura fan fiction?"

"You've mentioned it a few times. Wait, can I actually read one!?"

"You can read them all in fact." Luz said as she booted up her computer. "Take a seat."

Amity grabbed a seat next to Luz at the computer.

"What is this?"

"I'm teaching you how to use a computer."

"Oh. Fun."

"Ok, so the first thing it's gonna ask for is a password. All you have to do is use the keys to type in Luzura."

"So you just combined Luz and Azura to make Luzura?"

"I made the password when I was 11 okay."

"I didn't mean it like that." Amity laughed. "I actually kinda like it. It suits you."

Amity slowly typed in the password.

"Thanks. So do you see the mouse to your right? You're gonna want to use that to control the cursor on screen. Where ever you move the mouse, the cursor will follow."

"A MOUSE!? WHERE!?"

"No no... not that kind of mouse." Luz sighed. "They just call it that because it kinda looks like one."

"Ohhhhh. Now I see it."

"Okay, so now that you know how to move the mouse, you're gonna want to use your index finger to click on whatever tab you want to open. I have a file where I keep all my stories, so why don't you go ahead and open that."

"Okay."

Amity opened the tab and began reading.

"Wow Luz, this is pretty good so far. Has anyone else read this?"

"Of course. You can post it all online and have other people read it. The more people that enjoy it, the more views it's likely going to get."

"Wow. So how many views do you normally get?"

"Anywhere between a thousand and five thousand. One of them even got to eight thousand."

"That's impressive."

"Thanks. Hey Amity, I'm gonna go ahead and use the bathroom while you read everything okay."

"Okay. Don't fall in." Amity joked.

"Very funny..." Luz responded. "I'll keep it in mind."

\------------------

On the way to the restroom, Luz overheard her mom's conversation with what sounded like her dad. It didn't exactly sound pleasant either.

"...Your daughter is back for the first time since June and all you're worried about is the fact that she came back with a girlfriend?"

"...So what if she's gay? Her relationship preferences should have nothing to do with how much you love her. Or are you that much of a homophobe to understand that?"

"...Is that so? Well, if you're forcing me to choose between you or my daughter, I'll have you know that the choice is a very simple one Jason."

"...Fine. Have it your way then. After all, I'm the one who pays the bills around here."

After hearing that, Luz quietly crept back to her room to let Amity know what was going on.

"Ummmm Amity, can you turn the music off real quick? We might have a problem..."

"What's going on?"

"It's my dad... My mom let him know about us and apparently that set him off. I had a feeling something like this might happen..."

"You did tell me he was stuck in his old ways."

"Yeah, but I didn't think it would result in him leaving..."

"Wait he's, LEAVING!?"

"Yep. My mom is making him."

"You know what, good on her. Sounds like this guy is a loser anyways."

"Now hold on... this is still my dad we're talking about here."

"Sorry."

"But you're right... He hasn't exactly been the best influence in my life up to this point. Nor did I miss him when I was gone."

"So does that mean you want him to leave?"

"I don't know... On one hand, I was hoping that you and I might be able to change his ways of thinking and force him to see that homophobia is not okay. But on the other, if he isn't going to change his habits, then I don't him to be around me, you, or my mom."

"Agreed... So what happens now?"

"I'm not sure. I'll go and ask my mom."

"Alright. I'll be here."

\------------------

Luz walked into the kitchen as her mom sat at the table looking dejected. However, she surprisingly wasn't crying.

"Hi mom..."

"Hello mija... How much of that did you hear?"

"Just the back half of it. But it was enough to get the jist."

"Then you know what's going on right?"

"I believe so. When is he gonna be back?"

"In ten minutes... I told him to come back home and get his things before I put them on the curb myself."

"Oh... I see how this is going."

"Yep. He's here to say his goodbyes and get his stuff. But after that, I don't want to see him ever again."

"What if he comes back and apologizes?"

"Luz, I've lived with the man for 20 years. There isn't an ounce of sincerity left in his body. Our ties were severed the second he ended our phone call."

"I should've guessed you'd say that..."

"Be honest Luz, do you want to see him go?"

"If it makes you happy, then yes. I would."

"Not once did I say any of this made me happy... This is toughest decision I've ever had to make... But I feel like I'm making the right choice. If I'm weighing you and Amity's future together, then it's a future I don't want him being a part of. Do you feel the same way Luz?"

"I do..."

"Then it's settled. Go to your room, he'll be here any minute now."

"Alright." Luz complied.

\------------------

"So what did you find out?" Amity asked.

"My dad's gonna be here any minute to get his things and say goodbye. But something tells me it's gonna be more than that..."

"What makes you say that?"

"Knowing my dad like I think I do, he's probably gonna come in and beg my mom to keep him around and make a big scene. So that's why I'm staying in here."

"I don't blame you. The last thing I'd want to do is get in the middle of that."

"Yeah. So now, all we have to do is wait..."

\------------------

Luz and Amity didn't have to wait very long. After 5 minutes, Jason quickly pulled into the driveway and angrily hopped out of the car.

"Uh oh. Here he comes." Amity noted.

Luz could clearly make out the coherent yelling from the living room the minute he walked in.

"I can't believe you're doing this! After all these years, you're just gonna throw it all away!?" Jason exclaimed.

"I'M not the one who's throwing this away! YOU'RE the one who threw it all away after the comments you made regarding our daughter and her girlfriend!"

"I'm sorry okay! I'm sorry for what I said. It's just... you know how I've felt about them for all these years. And now one of them is MY DAUGHTER!"

"SO WHAT!? There's nothing wrong with being gay! It's 2020 Jason."

"EVERYTHING is wrong with being gay! Have you ever read the Bible before Camilia? Being born in a Christian household taught me that any relationship that isn't between a man and a woman is a sin!"

"That's where you're wrong Jason! The Bible I read told me to love thy neighbor as if they were my own beloved child and to treat others the way I would want to be treated. You know, I almost believed your religious BS at one point. But then I did a little research and found out that there's nothing in the Bible that outlaws a gay relationship. I don't know why you still believe that twisted logic of yours. But so long as you hold that sentiment against my daughter and anyone else like her, you're out of my house."

"But-"

"Not a word Jason... You have fifteen minutes to grab your things and get out. No need to worry about divorce settlements, considering everything except that truck of yours is in my name. I suggest you take that and get out of here as fast as you can."

"...Can I at least say goodbye to Luz?"

"That's up to her. She's in her room."

\------------------

Jason peaked his head into Luz's room.

"Luz?" He whispered.

"What do you want dad?" Luz groaned.

"I just thought I'd come here and say goodbye."

"Stop trying to act all buddy buddy with me. I heard all of what you said..."

"I know... Still doesn't mean I won't miss you."

"I sure as hell won't." Amity chirped.

"Excuse me young lady?" Jason quipped.

"You heard what I said..."

"Out of all the people to choose Luz, how did you end up with this one..."

Jason then opened the door all the way and started making his way into the room.

"Not another step old man..." Amity snickered.

"And what would happen to me if I did, little girl?"

Amity now stepped up and got in Jason's face.

"Try me."

"You think you're so fucking clever don't you..."

"Easy guys. Why don't we all just calm d-" Luz interjected.

Then, In the middle of Luz's sentence, Amity spat in Jason's face.

Jason took his shirt, wiped off the spit from his face, and backed away from Amity.

"You know kid... you're lucky I'm against hitting children."

"Oh yeah? Well unfortunately for you, I'm not against beating the shit out of senior citizens."

Then, in one fail swoop, all of the rage inside of Amity's body manifested itself into two abomination sized fists. She then loaded up and cracked Jason with a right hand from hell, knocking him out cold.

"AMITY! WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT?" Luz shouted.

"What? He deserved it. It's not like he's gonna remember it anyways."

"Well let's hope you didn't just kill him."

"Relax, he's just unconscious. Although I for one wouldn't mind if he's dead."

"Let's just get him into the living room okay."

"Okaaaay." Amity replied reluctantly.

\------------------

Luz, Amity, and Camilia carried Jason onto the living room couch where they waited for him to wake up.

"Amity, that was very reckless of you." Camilia said.

"I know... I'm sorry. If I wouldn't have run my mouth, he'd probably be out of here by now."

"It's okay." Camilia replied. "Why don't I go start packing some of his things. You two, keep an eye on when he wakes up."

"Sure thing." Luz said.

"I don't know what came over me..." Amity questioned. "I've never felt that type of rage before. I didn't even know I could do that..."

"It's okay Amity-"

"No. It's not... How am I supposed to control something like this? One outburst like this in public and it's over."

"We'll work on it."

"How?"

"A little bit of advice about self control. If you see yourself in a situation again where you want to hit someone, just walk away."

"That really works?"

"Well, it's either that or you mind your own business to the point where almost nobody recognizes you. Totally not speaking from personal experience or anything..."

"I actually wouldn't mind that. Almost everyone knew who I was at Hexside. That kind of fame isn't exactly what I'm after on earth."

"Who would've guessed. Amity Blight, the quiet and shy girl..."

"Only when I need to be." Amity teased.

Jason was now starting to wake up.

"Ugh... my head..." He groaned. "How did I end up in here?"

"You slipped and fell on the way to your room. So we carried you back to the couch." Luz replied.

"Huh." Jason wondered. "Wouldn't be the first time..."

"Do you need anything?" Luz asked.

"An Advil. Please."

"Sure thing."

"Maybe I knocked some manners into him." Amity teased as Luz got up to get the medicine.

"Knock it off." Luz whispered to Amity.

"Alriiiight." Amity replied sarcastically. "I'll go let your mom know he's awake."

Amity went off to go find Camilia. When she did, she noticed that the majority of the packing was already finished.

"Wow. That was fast. It's almost like you've had this planned or something."

"No Amity, it's just the perks of being a mother for 15 years. That's all."

"I see... Jason is awake now. Looks to me like it's perfect timing."

"Good. I need you to do me a favor before you leave. Can you go back to your room until after he's gone? Wouldn't want him to see you and suddenly remember what you did."

"You make a good point. Just let me know when he's gone okay?"

"I will."

\------------------

4:30 PM

Jason was all packed up and waiting at the door to leave.

"You know Camilia, I really am gonna miss this. I still think your beliefs are out of line, but I'm man enough to know when I've lost my battles... Take good care of our girl."

"I will... Do you have everything you need? Because you're not coming back in for anything once you leave."

"I think so. If you find anything else in there, it's probably not important."

"Alright. Let's get a move on."

"I know... Goodbye guys."

"Goodbye dad..." Luz replied.

With that, Jason hopped into his truck, turned it on, and pulled out of the driveway for good.

"Good riddance..." Camilia said. "Come on Luz, I bet you and Amity are hungry."

\------------------

5:30 PM

Luz, Amity, and Camilia sat at the dinner table as a family for the first time.

Camilia opened up with a prayer. "Dear God, thank you for bringing my daughter home safe and sound today. Thank you for blessing her with such an amazing girlfriend. Thank you for each day you give us on this earth as we continue to live in your image. I ask of you now to find peace and forgiveness in Jason's heart and guide him in the direction of your truth. I also ask of you to make the transition for Luz and Amity to life on earth as smooth and seamless as possible. In Jesus's name we pray, amen."

"Amen." Luz replied.

"Amen?" Amity questioned. "I'm sorry I don't yet understand what's going on."

"My mom has always said a prayer before dinner for as long as I can remember. It's basically a calling to a being higher than ourselves to ask for well wishes and safety. Trust me, it helps."

"I'm sure I'll understand in due time."

"You'll get used to it."

Camilia was now starting to serve dinner.

"So what is this you called it? Spa... ghe...tti? Am I saying that right?" Amity asked.

"Yep." Luz replied. "You'll want to eat it while it's hot though. It's no good cold."

Amity took her first bite and was immediately hooked.

"Wow. This totally puts food on the Boiling Isles to shame. If I would've known this, I would've left years ago."

"I like the enthusiasm." Camilia responded. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"Thank you mom. It's as good as I remembered." Luz replied.

"You're welcome. So, how about we talk about what to get the both of you for Christmas? Let's start with you Amity."

"I know it's a lot to ask, but if you wouldn't mind... I was hoping for some things for my room. Maybe some paint, posters, or furniture? Stuff that would make it my own, you know."

"I think we can accommodate that. How about you and I go shopping tomorrow?"

"Really!?"

"I don't see why not. What about you Luz?"

"A new phone would be nice... but not for me. I want Amity to have one."

"That's awfully thoughtful of you Luz." Camilia replied. "What kind do you think she'd like?"

"She loves taking pictures, so how about the Google Pixel? It's also easy on the wallet."

"Amity, what do you say?"

"I trust Luz's judgment. After all, she promised me one."

"Alright. Room AND phone shopping it is. You're welcome to tag along if you want Luz."

"No thanks. You both could use some bonding time."

"I like the sound of that." Camilia replied.

\------------------

Luz was the first to finish her meal.

"Great as usual mom, it's good to be back."

"Likewise mija."

"I love you." Luz said as she headed back to her room.

"I love you too." Camilia replied.

"Camilia?" Amity asked.

"Yes Amity?"

"If it isn't too much to ask, I was hoping you could get one more thing for me. But I want it to be a surprise for Luz..."

\------------------

11:00 PM

Luz was soundly asleep. The long day of walking the night before had finally caught up to her. Amity on the other hand was still awake, surfing through the TV programs previously unfamiliar to her. It wasn't because she was interested in what was on, it was because she couldn't sleep. Something was on her mind.

Luz was awoken by a knock at her door. 

"Luz, it's me." Amity whispered.

"Come in." Luz replied.

Amity quietly walked in, closed the door, and took a seat next to Luz on her bed. Luz responded by wrapping her arm around Amity to comfort her. She sensed a look of worry on her face.

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Could it not have waited until tomorrow?" Luz yawned.

"No. I'm losing sleep over it..."

"What's wrong?"

"It's just... now that we're living under the same roof, I've wondered how that might affect our relationship... I don't want to have what happened to Camilia and Jason today someday happen to us."

"We're two different people Amity. From two different backgrounds... What we have is stronger than anything they had."

"How so?"

"You left your life behind for me... And I couldn't return to mine without you... Does that answer your question?"

"For the most part. I just wonder... what's next? What's the next step for us?"

"We take things one day at a time. We go on dates, we go to school, we enjoy each other's company. None of that changes, regardless of where we are. All that changes is where it takes place."

"I'm just afraid because it's all new to me."

"It's new to me too... But that's what makes it fun... Learning, growing, experiencing; that's the best part about it. I know it'll be scary at times, but I'm right here with you. There's nobody else I'd rather share this life with than you. Through the ups and the downs."

"That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me... Thank you Luz... I really needed that."

"You're welcome. Now, if you don't mind, it's been a really long day and I was hoping to finally get some sleep."

"I understand. I'll go."

"Wait... Actually, I was kinda hoping you'd stay..." Luz said as she motioned Amity to join her.

"Really?"

"Yes. But don't get used to it. The last thing I'd want is my mom to find us like this. She'd assume we're... you know..."

Amity tried hard to quell her excitement as she hopped into bed next to Luz.

"So... what do you wanna do?" Amity asked as she started playing with Luz's hair.

"I'm tired... I need sleep..." Luz reiterated.

"Well... it's not like we'll have this opportunity every night. Why don't we make out?"

Luz grew tempted by her offer. After much consideration, she finally gave in.

"Fine. But no neck kisses. I don't need my mom asking us weird questions tomorrow morning."

"I can live with those conditions..."

Amity tilted her head to the side and pressed her lips against Luz's. The now familiar softness of Luz's lips sent her heart into a frenzy. Amity used her free hand to cup the side of Luz's cheek, caressing it as they continued. Luz meanwhile, used her free hand to tug at the base of Amity's neck, as if to beg for more. The minty breath of Amity's freshly brushed teeth permeated Luz's nostrils, which she grew to enjoy the longer they went. The longer they continued, the more passionate it became; which quickly led to them losing track of the time. 5 minutes? 10 minutes? It didn't matter. Time was not a factor. The only thing that mattered to the two of them was savoring the moment together; Only pausing for a few seconds at a time to catch their breaths.

"Wow... that was exhilarating..." Luz panted as they mutually agreed to stop.

"Well you're the one who pushed the pace." Amity teased. "I was only gonna go for soft kisses until you put your hand around my neck."

"Sorry. Was that too much?"

"I never said it was a bad thing, did I..."

"Oh. Then that means I did something right."

"More than right. That was amazing..."

"So does that mean you wanna go again?"

"What happened to being so tired?"

"You happened."

"You got me there... In that case, how could I ever say no?"

\------------------

11:30 PM

Once Luz and Amity wrapped things up, Luz quickly fell asleep with her arm tucked around Amity, holding her closely. While it was a bit tight for Amity's liking, she didn't care. She was just happy to feel Luz's warm embrace. It made her feel safe. It made her feel comfortable. Not only did Luz tell her what she wanted to hear, she showed it. From her passionate kisses to her soft hugs, Amity realized that this was what true love FELT like for the very first time. In the arms of Luz, that was her nirvana.

"It's a shame she told me not to get used to this..." Amity thought. "Because I think I just did..."

\------------------

Epilogue:

December 25th, 2020  
9:30 AM

Luz knocked on the door to Amity's room.

"Five more minutes..." Amity groaned.

"Come on Amity. Your presents won't open themselves." Luz teased from outside her door.

"What do you mean? I already have everything I wanted."

"We got a few extra things for you..."

"Alright. You've peaked my interest. I'll be downstairs in a second."

Amity quickly got around and joined Luz and Camilia downstairs around the tree.

"Ah. Looks like sleeping beauty finally decided to join us." Luz teased.

"Very funny Luz."

"So who should we start with?" Camilia asked with presents in hand.

"Let's start with Amity." Luz suggested. "After all, it's her first Christmas as a part of the family."

Amity blushed at the thought of what Luz just said. "Family..." she pondered. It was the first time Luz referred to Amity as family.

"I'm not family... I'm just a friend..."

"Nonsense." Camilia replied. "You mean the world to my daughter. I'd say you've earned the right to be recognized as a part of the family."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course." Camilia answered. "Now, here's your first present. Luz picked it out for you."

Camilia handed Amity the gift and she opened it.

"It's a sketchbook. Sweet."

"I realized you didn't bring yours from home. I know with everything that's been going on lately, you haven't thought to ask for one. But I know how much you still love drawing. I figured you might want to unwind and draw from time to time when things get tough." Luz explained.

"You know me better than I know myself sometimes. Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet. Let's get your other two gifts."

Luz reached for two small boxes and handed them to Amity.

"Open this one first, it'll make sense that way."

Amity rippped through the wrapping paper, opened the box, and found a small heart-shaped necklace inside.

"Wow. It's very pretty."

"Flip it over." Luz suggested.

Amity complied. On the back of the necklace was Luz's name engraved in the middle. Below that, was the date of when they started dating: 8/20/20.

"It's wonderful. I love it."

"You'll love it even more when you open the other box."

In the other box was an identical necklace. Only this time, Amity's name was engraved on the back.

"You got us matching necklaces?"

"Yep. You wear the heart that has my name and I'll wear the one that has yours. That way, if there's ever a moment we're not together, whether it be at school or at work, we'll always have something to remind ourselves of each other."

Amity was now starting to cry.

"Thank you Luz... It's beautiful..."

"Come here..." Luz prompted as she gave Amity a hug. "Merry Christmas Amity."

\------------------

10:00 AM

Luz, Amity, and Camilia were down to the final present. This one, unlike any of the other presents, was a gift from Amity for Luz.

"Amity, you didn't have to get me anything." Luz stressed.

"I wanted to. Your mom helped me arrange this."

"Oooh now I'm intrigued."

"As you should be." Camilia interjected. "We think you'll be very happy with this one."

Luz anxiously took her present and opened it. What she found was a framed picture of Luz and Amity.

"Do you remember when we took this?" Amity asked.

"Of course I do. I took this selfie of us at the end of our first date."

"Precisely. I've had this same picture framed on my nightstand for months now. I even brought it along with me from the Boiling Isles. Now, I figured it was your turn to have one of your own."

"Thank you Amity. I'll find a good place for this."

"That's not all..." Camilia teased. "Open up the frame."

Luz, albeit confused as to why, complied. When she opened the frame, 3 tickets fell out. Luz grabbed the tickets and read aloud what they were.

"YOU GOT TWENTY ONE PILOTS TICKETS! I THOUGHT THOSE WERE SOLD OUT MONTHS AGO!?"

"I was able to pull some strings... Amity suggested the idea after she saw your poster." Camilia replied.

"Surprise!" Amity said sarcastically.

"I love you guys!" Luz gushed as she joined Amity and Camilia in a group hug.

"Love you too Luz." Amity and Camilia said in succession.

"I hate to break up this moment, but we should have family coming over any minute now. Let's get your presents upstairs and clean up this wrapping paper okay?" Camilia interrupted.

"You're right." Luz replied.

Luz and Amity cleaned up the wrapping paper and took their presents to their respective rooms. Amity joined Luz in her room when she was finished.

"Hey Luz, have a minute?"

"Of course. What's up?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for everything. The gifts, the hospitality, everything. You're making this transition a lot smoother than I thought it would be."

"Don't sweat it. Just doing the best I can."

"I appreciate it. So where did you end up putting that frame?"

"At my computer desk. I spend most of my time there so I figured I'd put it in a spot where I will see it the most."

"Perfect."

"Sure is. I think it's time we make it back downstairs."

"Alright." Amity sighed.

She was looking around in the room at everything Luz took from the Boiling Isles; King's rabbit, a plant from Willow, an oracle, and back at the framed picture. It was one last reminder of her life back at home.

"You coming?" Luz asked.

Amity then took a look at Luz standing at the base of the door and smiled.

"Yep. I'll be right there."

It was at that moment where Amity finally made peace with her decision to leave home.

"You know what, everything's gonna work out just fine..." Amity thought to herself. "As long as I have Luz and Luz has me, we'll have nothing to worry about."

With that, Amity left the room to join Luz downstairs and introduce herself to the rest of her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. If you're reading this, you made it to the end of the story. If this is your first time reading the story, welcome! I hope you enjoyed what I had to offer. If you're a returning reader from chapter 1 or 2, thank you for the continued support. While this is the end of Earthbound, this is far from the end of my writing. I'll continue to put out stories, so long as there's people that will read them. However, with college coming up, they will probably be out less frequently. If you want to keep up with more of what I'm doing, follow "random_owl_house_fan" on Instagram. I'm really trying to grow that page into something special. I promise you'll like what I have to offer.


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